Michael Kocáb, born on July 28, 1954, in Prague, is a composer, singer, and political activist. He began his music career with the release of singles such as "Co Mám Říct/Máma Má Mísu" (1982) and "Bílá Velryba, Zkameněliny/Včelí Královna, Tamtam" (1985). Kocáb gained prominence as the leader of Pražský výběr, a band suppressed by the Czechoslovak communist regime in the 1980s. His political activism included co-founding the "Bridge" initiative and playing a key role in negotiations during the Velvet Revolution. Throughout his career, he released several albums including Povídali, Že Mu Hráli (1988), Black Light (1990), and Odysseus (1990). Kocáb composed music for over 60 films, notably Straka v hrsti (1983) and King of Thieves (2004). He also served as Minister for Human Rights and National Minorities in the Government of the Czech Republic from 2009 to 2010.
